Jaguars owner Shad Khan said Friday he thinks positive changes are coming for the city of Jacksonville.

“I think Jacksonville is going to change and is going to change for the better,” Khan said. “I’m very optimistic.”

Khan, who was in town for the NFL draft, said he got an interesting response from his recent “mojo” comment to the World Affairs Council.

He said during a question-and-answer session at the event when asked about Jacksonville not pushing its potential, “I think there has been a vacuum here. I can’t explain it. A homeless guy in Detroit has more mojo than a millionaire in Jacksonville.”

Of the reaction to it, Khan said, “I think, overall, it’s very positive. It’s like the Aqua Velva commercial. You get slapped in the face. Thanks, I needed that.”

Explaining the comment, he said, “What the comment meant in a good way is there is a very relaxed vibe here. OK. A lot of times, you need a certain swagger or a push to get things done. So one of the characteristics you see outside, beautiful sun, beaches, great lifestyle, your blood pressure goes down when you step off the plane here. Those are all great things.”

But there’s not the push, although he added young people can make a difference in Jacksonville.

“I think besides the natural attributes we talked about, Jacksonville has something very, very enviable, desirable. Young people,” he said. “Those are the ones who drive things. Compared to Miami, Naples and, frankly, even Orlando, is the amount of young professionals. Young people are moving in. The cost of living is low. The life is great so they’re the ones who can drive change, the desire to get better, entrepreneurial drive, creation of new companies. That’s a good combination.”

He said a better Jacksonville is good for the Jaguars.

“I’m looking at it from the viewpoint of the area, but it’s also very important for me that Jacksonville is vibrant and growing. The football team needs that for a civic reason. But also, first of all, whether you like it or not, the owner of the team is a very, very powerful position to be able to articulate [his views]. They welcome your opinions,” he said.

Khan said the Jaguars aren’t his only investment in Jacksonville.

“I’ve invested in a bunch of companies locally. A number of them are doing well, and [I’m] working with the community,” he said.

Khan will hold a state of the franchise news conference on Tuesday, along with team president Mark Lamping, general manager Dave Caldwell and coach Gus Bradley.

BG2:
Until there is a REAL change in Citizenry & Leadership in this backward buted town, there will not be ANY change.

For 20 plus years, I've had hope...the wasted investment in the scoreboard by the town clowns proved once again just how CLUELESS the leadership here is!!!!!!

Note: What the town's burdening Police / Fireman Pension OBLIGATION represents, alone is enough to scare most MAJOR CORPORATIONS away!!
Not to mention the ever increasing Bond Rating this town has...with little if anything to show in the revenue coffers.

There is a reason jax lags behind many other Southern Cities!
Hint: it's called LACK OF COMMONSENSE, LEADERSHIP, TOTALLY UNEDUCATED, GULLIBLE, IGNORANT AND A TOTALLY CLUELESS CITIZENRY!
Did I mention lack of commonsense??????????
Someone please call Corrine.
Think about it.

“Civilization is the progress toward a society of privacy. The savage's whole existence is public, ruled by the laws of his tribe. Civilization is the process of setting man free from men.”

13370 points

Bull Gator2

Sunday, May 11, 2014 @ 6:50 pm

Since I am using inflight wifi and it is slow, I cannot get to all my info, but let me answer your complaint about JIA. Direct flights that I know of and have taken. Washington DC, NY, Minn./ St Paul, Detroit, Houston, Dallas, San Juan, Nassau, and there may be more. That is a very good group of destinations.

Next I don't understand your comment about 60% appreciation. I live at the beach, and have gained back all my paper lose.

I see the difference between you & I as being...I'm REAL & some are overly optimistic.

Now, JIA are you kidding? Granted a good facility, but I'd MUCH RATHER HAVE DIRECT FLIGHTS!!!!!

Granted, Khan NEEDED to make improvements to the dressing room! IF he has made ANY payment to the scoreboard, I need proof.
You are totally WRONG! The jax Taxpayer will be FRONTING the Bond Money from this point on. Please identify what the "motel / hotel revenue stream is" you will quickly see it's not sole supportive!!!!! I hate to bust anyone's dreams but jax ain't a destination! 30 YEAR MINIUM PAYOFF...MORE LIKE 35-40!

Glad to see you were not one of the GULLIBLE SUCKERS concerning the skyway. (?).

As far as the foreclosure rate, I suppose I'm happy to see you'll pay 60% appreciation on my "double-wide" you know you being such a believer & all! NOT SURE ANYONE OUTSIDE YOU WOULD, BUT IT'S A NICE THOUGHT.

FIRST, IF JAX DOES NOT KNOW WHO IS PROSPECTING THIS TOWN, they are way, way, way, behind the 8 ball. I assume you are simply responding rather than knowing. I noticed you said "WE" I assume you are on the inside?

Understood...and of the ONE HUNDRED (100) "CNN" & "Money" reports. Just how MANY SOUTHERN CITIES RANKED ahead of jax? Think about it.

I believe "some if not all" the Southern Cities I've mentioned...have a comparable if not lower TAX STRUCTURE, MOST having SUBSTANTIALLY LOWER CRIME RATES, BETTER QUALITY OT LIFE, BETTER / MORE EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES, MORE JOB OPPORTUNITIES, MORE GROWTH POTENTIAL, MORE LOGICALLY (centrally) LOCATED TO BUSINESS CENTERS, BETTER AIR TRANSPORTATION, MUCH BETTER CULTURAL ACTIVITIES & SCENIC ENVIRONMENTS, NOT TO MENTION REAL ESTATE APPRECIATION AND SOME DEFINITELY OFFER A MORE COSMO LIFESTYLE THAN JAX. ETC.

BG2, face it jax is jax and the Taxpayer is screwed on so many "City Projects". Yes, calling jax a city is comforting to many.
City Projects include:

Skyride...ABSOLUTELY 0 (zero) revenue at a 6-7 MILLION $'s ANNUALLY cost to the Taxpayer just to keep operating.
Better jax program...the program is virtually dead, yet the supporting tax remains. And it did WHAT? Really?

BG2, I hope you understand. The common Taxpayer is tired of jax's town clowns robbing us everytime one of their "contributors" make a 1000 $ "investment" in their wallet.
IF YOU NEED MORE PROJECTS TO PONDER, PLEASE ADVISE.

“Civilization is the progress toward a society of privacy. The savage's whole existence is public, ruled by the laws of his tribe. Civilization is the process of setting man free from men.”

13370 points

Bull Gator2

Sunday, May 11, 2014 @ 4:32 pm

Noillusions the big differences between you and me is I see the good, and you look for the bad. I am sitting here at one of the nicest mid-size airports in the country, but yet you have ragged on it several times.

First Khan has already spent $11 million on the stadium so he is already putting his own money into the facility. Next he has already made his first payment in the new scoreboard. NO you and I will never pay for these improvements. It would take a rewriting of the charter.

NO I never did like the idea of the skyway. Especially in view of our downtown situation. Next it never covered the more important areas of the city.

As far as the forclouser rate I see the cup as half full where you see it empty. The same report I used in my previous post showed that the forclouser rate in Jacksonville was 29% better than it was this time last year.

We generally do not know when a company is looking at us or any city until well into the process. There may be some, there may not be. What we do know is that there are 1,100 people a day moving into Florida and Jacksonville is getting their share. That alone increase the home market and the tax base. And NO most are not retirees.

CNN and Money magazine voted Jacksonville one of the top 100 places to live in the country. In the top 100 Jacksonville had the third highest job growth rate.

As far as some of the other southern cities you have mentioned in the past, I would not live there, for numerous reason. One big one is cost of living and taxes.

You can continue to put Jacksonville down, but don't count in me to agree. Especially when you continue to lie about the stadium expenses.